A Girl Like You
by kabashley19
Summary: Radio Rock sets sail once more only three months after the old boat sank. The entire crew returns and everything is back to normal, until the Count gets an unexpected visitor and trouble follows...especially for Midnight Mark.
1. There's A Girl On Board

**AN: **This story is more or less based on a dream that I had. I'm not really sure where I'm gonna be going with it, but bear with me.

(Insert usual disclaimer here.)

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><p><strong>A Girl Like You<br>**

Chapter 1

There's A Girl On Board...

_March, 1967. Night._

"Jesus, Felicity. I don't know how you suffer them."

"Practice," she said as she grabbed the empty plates of food left behind by the various deejays and crew members on Radio Rock. About a month ago, Abby ended up on the famous boat off the coast of England, and none of the others had even noticed she was there. Thankfully though, because even though she was from America, she knew about the inhabitants' notorious reputation. The only people who knew she was on board were Quentin, Felicity and the Count. So to keep her out of sight, she was given a room on the other end of the boat and was told to keep her door firmly locked at all times, especially at night. If any of the men knew she was there, Quentin said, they would stop at nothing to get their hands on her. But Abby was a smart girl, and stuck up for herself.

"I've been in worse jams than you can probably think of. Plus, Dad used to serve in the armed forces so he taught me a thing or two about defending myself." Quentin had to agree; with the way she dressed, she did look the 'butch' type.

"All right. You can help Felicity in the kitchen and with the general upkeep with the boat. But make sure what you're wearing remains your standardized outfit as long as you're on here." He looked at her baggy brown sweater and her loose torn jeans. "A pretty girl like you could get into a lot of trouble if the men find out you're on here."

Abby scoffed at his 'pretty' remark. "Just tell me who to steer clear of, and I'll be on the lookout." Quentin turned to look at her, with a smirk on his face.

"All of them."

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><p>"<em>So, this is a nice place you've got here," Abby said as she scanned Count's room when she arrived on the boat that night. There were various posters of rock and roll bands plastered on the walls, as well as albums messily scattered all over the floor. She cocked an eye at him.<em>

"_Uh, I've been meaning to sort those out," he said as he waved his hand over the mess as if it would magically disappear._

"_Things seem to be back on track since the accident."_

"_Yeah, I still don't know how Quentin managed to get another boat, let alone get the entire crew back together." Radio Rock had been reborn despite the government, and had set sail again only 3 months after the previous boat sank. The public demanded that they come back and by some kind of miracle, Quentin had found another boat (a working one this time) and nearly everyone returned. Things were finally back to normal. "How long are you here for?" Count asked the young woman._

"_That depends if I can get a job here."_

"_A job? Why?"_

"_I kind of…got kicked out of college."_

"_What? What did you do, Abby?"_

"_Nothing too serious."_

"_Serious enough for you to get kicked out of college!"_

"_Aw, come on…it wasn't working out for me anyway. If my heart's not in it then why should I stick with it?"_

"_I guess," he said, easily defeated and sat down at the edge of his bed. "How are things overseas in the good old' US of A? How's your mom?"_

"_She's good," Abby sat down beside him and pushed her hair behind her ear. "She got married to some stiff in a suit, but he's nice I guess. She says to say hello and that she hopes you can straighten me out because in her words, 'I can't fucking handle you anymore!'" Abby said with her hands on her hips and a mocking voice. They both laughed at her spot-on imitation._

"_Straighten you out? Now why would I want to do that? Your spunk is one of the things I love about you," he said as he ruffled her hair affectionately. "But are you sure you want to stay on board here? I mean, I'll have to pretend like I don't know you when we're in front on the guys. Not because I don't want you on here, but because…"_

"_Listen, I understand. Besides, if anything gets out of control I have you to protect me," Abby smirked up at him, "Right Dad?"_

* * *

><p>In her dirty jeans and a baggy sweatshirt uniform that made her look absolutely repulsive, Abby snuck her way up to the deck to get some air. It was the dead of night and everyone must have been asleep, except for Bob, who was doing his early, early show.<p>

"Shouldn't you be in bed, mate?" A voice called down to her. Abby pulled her hood over her head and ran back down below, not noticing someone watching her from the shadows.

_Next Morning..._

"I saw something last night…that might be of interest to you all."

"Oh, god. _Kevin_ has something to say everyone," Dave announced. He was in no mood for stupidity this morning.

"There's a girl on board." Kevin said proudly, and the Count moaned.

"Felicity _lives_ here, you fucking idiot."

"No, I mean not Felicity."

"Yeah, okay Kev. Did you fall off the bed again?" Angus asked.

"I saw her last night! She was out on the deck and then ran downstairs when Gavin told her to go to sleep."

"Hang on a minute. That was a girl?" Gavin asked. "I thought it was Young Carl, here."

"Nope. A girl. With _breasts_."

"What's all this then?" Quentin said as he addressed the group for his usual morning meeting.

"Thick Kevin thinks he saw a girl on deck last night, and Gavin thought it was me," Carl spoke up. "But I was asleep in bed."

"Girl? Kevin, you really need to stop sleeping on the top bunk." Quentin said nervously.

"I know what I saw!" Kevin said, almost furiously. The men all turned to look at Quentin and he sighed.

"Fine. You were probably going to find out about her soon enough. Felicity, tell Abby to come here." Within a few minutes, Felicity returned with another girl dressed in a baggy grey sweatshirt and torn jeans. Her dark brown hair was done up in a messy ponytail and she was wearing no makeup. All in all, she looked like...

"A mess. She looks like a dirty mess. Why doesn't she look all done up like other girls?" Dave remarked. Abby glared at him.

"She...prefers to dress this way," Quentin said.

"To keep your grubby hands off of me," Abby added. "I've heard about you guys; you'll do it with anything that walks."

"This little spitfire is Abby. She came here from America, by her mother's request. I don't know _why_ people keep sending their children here thinking it'll be good for them."

"Is that what people in America dress like?" Gavin asked. "Because if it is, I'm never setting foot in that country."

"She's disgusting," Midnight Mark was heard to say from way in the back. Abby glared at every single one of them. Their remarks hurt a lot, much more than they should but she refused to show how much.

"All of you, shut the fuck up. Abby," the Count said, removing his sunglasses and discreetly winking at her, "I'm sorry for the rude introductions from these morons here, but let me just say it's a relief to not be the only one on board here from America anymore." She smiled at him and gave his hand a hearty shake, and he patted her on the back, much like a man would do to another man. The Count stood and looked at each DJ who began to mumble their welcome, with the exception of Mark, who lit up a cigarette and Carl who joined the Count by shaking Abby's hand.


	2. The Only Girl Who Ever Turned Him Down

Chapter 2

The Only Girl Who Ever Turned Him Down

_July, 1967. Morning._

Marianne had come on board again to visit Carl (they've been going strong together ever since they started broadcasting from a boat again), and she decided to sit with Abby and talk for a while.

"How's life on the boat treating you, Abby?"

"Not bad."

"How about the incident with Angus? Has he forgiven you yet?"

"I think so," Abby smiled as she thought back to about a month ago when Angus had asked her to show him how hard she could punch. She refused at first, but then he egged her on, saying that girls couldn't hit. Poor Angus got a blow right to the stomach, sending him to the ground and moaning in pain. "The guys are all great and we get along famously, but sometimes I get sick of how they look at me; like I'm the most repulsive woman in the world."

"Who thinks that?"

"Well Mark, at one of the _rare_ times he speaks, called me 'disgusting' and he scrunches up his face when I walk by, even after all the time I've spent on the boat."

"I think I can fix that."

"How?"

"With Felicity's help. You're going to need as much feminine training for this as you can."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Abby asked, slightly offended.

"Just don't worry about it. You'll have all of them eating out of your hands in no time. _Especially_ Mark. Trust me, I'll teach you how to handle him." Marianne said excitedly as Abby's brown eyes shone with excitement at the challenge.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Harold?"<p>

"Yeah, Marianne?"

"Can you do me a favour and play that new Jimi Hendrix song for me? And make sure the entire boat can hear it. Loud."

"Uh, sure thing." He stood in the booth confused as Marianne left with a giggle and ran down to Abby's room. She had the whole thing planned out for her. In order to get up to the deck, Abby practically had to walk through the entire boat, passing each of the DJ's rooms on the way, the dining room, until finally taking a seat at the front of the boat to 'show herself off' to everyone. Abby, however, was still a little reluctant about the whole thing.

"Just, pretend that you're the sexiest thing out in the world. And I'm telling you from the looks of you, you are," Marianne told her confidently. Abby looked at herself in the mirror. She was clad in a very tight (and short) black dress, complete with high heeled black shoes. Her hair was loose down past her shoulders and in waves, but she had shaken it around to give it the 'just rolled out of bed' look that truly suited her. Her eye makeup was light, but her lips were given a colour that was just a few shades darker than their natural colour. She looked like a completely different person, and she liked it. It felt like she was playing a part. She could do that.

"Remember, Carl is going to start the whole domino effect. He'll tell everyone that you're going their way, and when you get to Mark-"

"Oh, I know what to do when I get to Mark," Abby said mischievously. She heard Harold's voice announcing the next track. "Thank you," she said to Marianne with a quick hug. Just as the music started, she strutted out of her door.

_Foxy_.

_Foxy._

She saw Carl peep his head out of his room and smiled at his reaction; he looked pleasantly surprised. He obviously didn't think she was going to look _that_ good. He called out to Thick Kevin, who gaped when he saw her. Carl purposely began to make cat-calls to get everyone's attention.

_You know you're a cute little heartbreaker,_

_Foxy._

Dave was next, since his room was right across from Carl's. He stared at Abby as she continued her strut down the hall, making growling noises as she approached. She ignored him as she continued her parade.

_You know you're a sweet little love maker,_

_Foxy._

Gavin and Angus emerged from their rooms, their curiosity aroused by the commotion coming from outside their doors. Abby smiled; she was satisfied with the effect she had on them as they stood speechless at the girl who flounced by them as the rest of the residents came out to look at her.

_I wanna take you home._

_I won't do you no harm, no._

Abby felt herself walking in pace with the music, so she sped up. That's when Mark appeared looking half-asleep, cigarette (as usual) in his mouth. She smiled a suggestive smile and walked straight to him with purpose, eyes locked with his.

_You've got to be all mine, all mine_.

She took the cigarette from his mouth, her eyes never leaving his.

_Ooh, foxy lady._

She watched his face as she took a long drag from the cigarette and blew the smoke in the air between them. It was as if he couldn't believe his eyes. She tossed her head and made her way up the stairs, leaving the men below her, staring at one another.

"Who the fuck was that?" Angus asked, bewildered. Marianne snuck her head out of Abby's room and Carl smiled at her, signalling to her that the plan was a success. Different voices surrounded him as everyone (apart from Mark, who still stood motionless) tried to figure out who the 'foxy lady' was.

"She looked familiar."

"I've never seen her before."

"I would've remembered a girl like _that_!"

"She looked a little bit like Abby, didn't she?"

"_Abby_? Have you lost you're fuckin' mind?"

"It _was_ Abby," Carl announced. The men looked at each other and then made a mad dash for the stairs and scrambled up to the deck. There they saw Abby, cigarette still in hand, and her hair floating softly in the night breeze.

"Hello, all," she said, smiling down at them. "Nice night, huh?"

"What happened to you?" Dave asked.

"What? You guys don't like it? It's just how the girls normally dress back home." She loved every minute of this game she was playing. Dave swaggered up to her and held her hand in his, stroking her skin. _Just like Marianne said he would do_, she thought.

"May I just say, you look _exquisite_ tonight, my dear Abigail." He kissed her hand and she mentally rolled her eyes, playing the part of the dumb groupie they were all so used to. Gavin pushed Dave out of the way and linked Abby's arm through his, bringing her back down to the dining room. She was fully aware of the crowd that followed behind them.

"So this is what America really exports? I must make my way over there sometime," he whispered the last sentence in her ear as she felt his hand trail down her back. Before he could go further, she ran to the bench and waved her hand in front of her face.

"What's a girl gotta do to get a drink around here?" she said. Immediately, there was clinking and arguing over who got to serve her. _Men really are pathetic_, she thought. _One pretty face and they're falling all over themselves._

She nearly jumped when Mark flopped down beside her, his arm draped behind her and a new cigarette in his mouth. He stared at her intensely, making her feel very uncomfortable. She looked back at him boldly, wondering what in the hell he was doing. Neither of them was saying a word.

…_and when the tension becomes too much to bear, you just say 'how about it, then?'_

Abby realized he was trying to use his 'trick' on her (thankfully, Carl managed to slip her that bit of information before this plan even came into fruition) and decided to play along. She batted her eyes and pretended to breathe heavily, as if his stare was getting to be too much for her and everyone stopped what they were doing to look at what was happening between them. Mark smiled at her and she immediately knew what was coming.

"How about it then?" he asked. She coyly looked down and smiled, then finally looked back up at him, making sure she was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I don't think so."

If Abby could've laughed out loud at that moment, she would have. The look on Mark's face was too priceless for words. The group in the kitchen seemed just as stunned as he was, their mouths hanging open. Suddenly, Count burst through the door.

"Abby! What the fuck do you think you're doing?" His eyes were nearly bulging out of his head.

"What?" she said innocently.

"Look at what you're wearing! You're practically naked!"

"We know, and we like it," Gavin leered. Count violently shook off his coat at wrapped it around Abby, making sure she was covered before heading to Gavin's direction.

"Don't you _ever_ talk like that about her."

"I'm sorry Count, but as far as I'm concerned she's fair game. That dress of hers revealed quite a bit, and I didn't see your name stamped on her gorgeous body." Count's fist shook and his knuckles turned white.

"No, my name isn't stamped on her, but it may as well be."

"What are you talking about?" Dave said, approaching the two arguing men.

"She's my daughter you fucking idiots!" The entire group stood in stunned silence as he stared each one of them down. "Now, if I _ever_ hear you talking about her like that again, I will personally tie you to a barrel and set you adrift in the fucking ocean. Got it?" He huffed and turned to Abby. "And _you_. Quentin warned you about these guys, and I did too. What the fuck were you thinking?"

"Oh, c'mon. I was just having some fun-"

"Go to your room, take that shit off and put on your regular clothes, Abby," Count said with his eyes closed, trying to contain his anger. Abby murmured a 'fine' and stomped off, but she still couldn't help the way her hips swayed as she walked away. The Count turned back to his shipmates and glared at them.

"Well? Does anyone have anything else they want to say?" he asked, looking at each of them with all of the anger he could gather.

"Count, we had no idea that she was your daughter. We thought she was…" Carl was cut off by the Count's sigh as he removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I get it. I shouldn't have overreacted; it's just that…well she's my baby girl. I know you guys don't have kids, so you don't understand what it's like to have one, especially a daughter. As soon as she turned 15, I turned paranoid and had to keep a gun handy in case some guy looked at her the wrong way, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat her like a groupie. If you do, I'll have to kill you and then we'd be short a few deejays," he said, running his hand through his hair again. "But listen, don't treat her _too_ special while she's on here. I know her, and she'd rather be treated like one of the guys than be alienated because she's my kid. So, the same way you act around Felicity, act around her. She's a good girl," Count shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the men. "And this is my new chance to get to know her again."

"You should have seen Mark's face!" Abby laughed as she told Marianne and Felicity when she saw them the next morning.

"He must've been in shock. I don't think something like that has happened to him before," Felicity told her. Although Mark was a good friend, she couldn't help but feel slightly amused at what Abby had accomplished.

"It's a taste of his own medicine. He shouldn't have said what he said about me being disgusting."

"Well, good for you. But can you honestly sit there and tell me that you weren't the _least_ bit tempted?" Marianne pressed. "It _is_ Midnight Mark, after all. My uncle said so himself: he's the sexiest man on the planet."

"Well…" Abby was hesitant to admit that she _did_ find him attractive. "Okay, just a bit. But nothing's gonna come of it. Mark's the type of guy I hate: he thinks he's better than everyone, and I feel like getting sick whenever I see him." A secret smile crossed Felicity's face as she watched a light blush cover Abby's face when she mentioned his name.

This was only round one between Midnight Mark and the only girl who ever turned him down.


	3. I'm Not Gonna Sleep In the Hallway!

**AN:** I'm really kind of proud of this story so far. Read and review please! =)

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><p><span>Ch<span>apter 3

I'm Not Gonna Sleep In the Hallway!

"So Abby, back to your usual outfit then, eh?" Gavin said as he emerged from the kitchen with two cups of tea. She had put on her jeans and sweater, but took some time to do her face with some light makeup.

"Only because it's a little cold this morning. You didn't honestly think I was going to strut around in outfits like that every day, did you?"

"Well yes, actually," he said, sitting down at the table to join the rest of the group. She joined him and sipped the tea that he had given her. "It was a refreshing sight to see an attractive woman for once. No offense to our dear Felicity of course."

"Thank you," Felicity sang from the kitchen while making toast.

"I'm not the type of girl who parades around for men," Abby said, as she sat down beside Gavin. "I just wanted to prove a point to everyone."

"That being?" Dave asked.

"Never judge by first appearances. You never know what's underneath," she said with a smile.

"Point well made my dear. Even though I would do laps around this barge to get a peek of what's 'underneath'," Dave mumbled the last bit while putting a large piece of egg in his mouth. "So, tell us about yourself. You've been on this boat for months now and we hardly know a thing about you."

"Well, I grew up in the States. My mom met my dad at a diner where she was waitressing and they got married after they found out she was pregnant with yours truly," she said as she spread her hands in front of her as a 'ta-da!' motion. "They were married for about 10 years but they fought all of the time. Eventually, they decided that they'd rather part as friends instead of trying to stay and one of them winds up killing the other. I stayed with my mom and dad found a great job in Manchester. He visited me as often as he could until he got hired as a radio-deejay on this boat. I hadn't seen him in 5 years."

"You were seventeen the last time he saw you?"

"Yup. Graduated high school and got accepted to an all-girls college, where I got kicked out and then I ended up here." They listened intently as she told her story. Angus, who had joined the group when Abby mentioned she got kicked out of school, spoke as he sat down at the table.

"Why did you get kicked out?"

"Uh, I did something bad." Then men looked at each other with a sneer on each of their faces.

"Something bad, eh? Was it a 'dirty-bad' or a 'naughty-bad'?" Gavin said, swinging his leg over the other and grinning stupidly at her.

"How about bad in the way that some girl ended up with a bloody lip and a black eye and a few broken ribs? And _you_ should really get your mind out of the gutter," Abby told him with a disgusted look.

"You beat another girl up?" Simon asked, shocked. He was obviously used to women being dainty and feminine. "Why would you do that?"

"My reasons were complicated. She said something that set me off, and she got the shit beat out of her."

"Well, you demonstrated your abilities on Angus not too long ago, so we'll take your word for it," Gavin said, jerking his head in Angus' direction. Abby giggled at his absently rubbing his stomach where she had punched him. She really did feel bad about hurting him, even though it was a while ago. _Maybe if I made him a batch of s cookies or something..._

"Don't remind me," Angus said miserably.

"Well, I got a few bumps and bruises too, but since the other girl ended up in worse shape than me, I was the one that got expelled. I don't miss it at all though; the teachers were way too strict for my liking and those hoity-toity princesses that strutted around the campus made me sick."

"Hoity-toity princesses are my bread and butter," Gavin said, smirking again. Abby nudged him in the stomach with her elbow, but was laughing while she did it.

"I'll bet they are, you pig."

"Well, well. Look who decided to join us," Dave said. Mark stumbled into the dining room, his hair messier than usual. His eyes were lined with dark bags, as if he had trouble sleeping that night. "You look awful, mate."

Mark grunted in response and headed for the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee. When he returned, he slumped into a chair, took a big gulp of his drink and stared into his mug when he set it back on the table.

"You gave him the shock of his life when she said 'no' to him. Not your type, or just playing heard to get?" Angus asked. Abby merely shrugged and rose from her seat.

"Not every girl has to fall into his bed the moment he opens his mouth," she said matter-of-factly, making sure Mark heard every word she was saying. "And I find it very hard to believe that I'm actually the first one who didn't fall for that line. He just needs to get over it." She headed towards the kitchen and hesitantly began her chore of washing the pile of dirty dishes that lined the counter.

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><p><em>August, 1967. Night<em>

The night sky welcomed Abby as she made her way on deck. The fresh air was her nightly reward after a long day of chores and listening to the repulsive remarks from the deejays. They were a great group of guys, but some of the things they said made her skin crawl.

She leaned on the edge of the boat and closed her eyes, revelling in the peace and quiet. She opened them suddenly when she heard footsteps coming from behind her in the dark. Slightly hyperventilating, she turned around to see who was there. The only thing she saw was the burning end of a cigarette, until a person came into view. It was Mark.

He gave Abby a half-smile as he stood beside her and leaned on the railing. She rolled her eyes at him, but didn't leave her spot. Why should she? She was there first.

"Nice night." She nearly jumped when she heard his voice after a long moment of silence.

"Yeah," she said, coolly. He offered her a cigarette which she took and lit it for her. Silence hung in the air again.

"Listen," Mark said finally, "I'm sorry about what I said about you being disgusting and all. You're not. It was just something stupid I said and...I'm sorry." He turned and looked at Abby, who was staring at him, her eyes bigger than they usually were. "What's wrong?"

"That's...the most I've ever heard you say!" He laughed at her comment and turned his head back to the sea.

"Just because I don't talk as much as the others, it doesn't mean I don't know how. What was it you said about judging books by their covers?"

Abby blushed from embarrassment as she remembered the point she had made earlier in the week. She was doing to Mark exactly what everyone else had done to her.

"Just so you don't feel too badly, this _is_ the most I've ever said to anyone on this boat, so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep this conversation between us. I've got to keep my reputation going," he said. Abby smiled at him and held out her hand for him to shake.

"Deal," she said as he shook her hand. She placed her hand back in her pocket, ignoring the warm feeling she felt from there. "So why, then?"

"Why, what?"

"Why don't you talk more often? You've got a great voice." She nearly slapped her hand over her mouth, but stopped when she saw the shy smile on his face.

"Never really found the need to. Plus, I don't want to end up saying something stupid. People tend to like you better when there's an air of mystery around you."

"Well, I don't know about that," Abby joked. "I didn't like you when I first met you."

"I know, and I'm sorry again. Do you mind if we maybe started over?"

"Sure." They shook hands again and spent the rest of the time staring out into the sea in silence. An hour or so passed, and Abby held up her hand to her mouth to try and stifle a yawn. She shook her head slightly and smiled sleepily. "I think I'll head back in now. And don't worry," she said, turning to him as she left, "Your secret's safe with me."

Mark watched her go below deck as he inhaled his cigarette. He meant it when he said he never spoke that much to anyone on the boat. Aside from his parents, who were both dead, no one ever heard him have a real conversation, especially with a girl. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out how Abby had managed to get him to talk so easily. He shook his head, hoping to clear it. Sure, he wanted to sleep with her, all the guys on the boat did. But talk to her? The old Mark would have never tried so hard.

What the hell was happening to him?

One night, a couple of months later, he was going down to his room after he had a smoke on deck. On the way, he spotted Abby about to knock on the Count's door.

"I thought you were going to sleep," he whispered, trying to make sure no one heard him.

"Would you believe that I can't get in my room?" Mark raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"What? Why?"

"You know how my dad made sure that my room is the only one on the boat with a lock on it? Well Kevin, that fucking idiot, forgot that I slept in there and locked the door!" She rolled her eyes in frustration. Despite her annoyance, Mark laughed at her situation.

"There's no use asking your dad if he's got an extra key. Quentin has them all."

"Okay, then I'll ask him to give me one."

"No use in that either. If Quentin is in his room, no one bothers him. It's a rule."

"Well, what the hell? I'm not gonna sleep in the hallway!" Abby nearly yelled, throwing her hands in the air. She looked at Mark, as if he had a solution. He stared back at her.

"What? I don't know what to tell you! The only thing I can think of right now is that you can sleep in my room." Abby raised an eyebrow at him.

"That'd be convenient for _you_. You'd have me right where you want me!"

"I only meant that I would be going to do my show in about ten minutes, so you wouldn't be bothered, and you wouldn't be bothering anybody either."

"Oh." Abby looked at her feet, considering his offer. She really didn't have much choice but to accept. She glared up at him, her voice lined with aggravation. "If this was happening a few months ago, I wouldn't even _think_ about doing this. And if anyone asks, you don't know anything."

"Okay," Mark whispered as he led her down the hall to his room. He opened the door quietly and when Abby stepped in, she was surprised at what she saw.

The room was dark, with only the smallest light coming from a lamp in the corner. It was neat too; compared to the Count's room, this was the only other room she'd seen. A large poster of Jim Morrison was tacked up on one side of the wall (she figured that's who he idolized), and other posters of various bands lined the rest of the walls. His collection of records was stacked in milk crates in the corner of one room.

"Huh," she said absently. Mark looked at her.

"What?"

"Your bed is made. Never would've thought you were the type."

"Yeah, well, living with a strict Auntie will do that to you. Here," he said as he pulled back the covers. The both of them stood staring at the bed awkwardly.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Abby told him. He shook himself out of his trance and scowled at her.

"Hey, there's no need to get cheeky. I'm doing you a favour, remember?"

"Don't turn this on me. If Kevin wasn't so stupid, then I wouldn't even be here right now. I'd be in my own bed, with my green polka-dot pyjamas on. Oh, hell! Why did I just tell you that?"

"You know, the dining room is free if you want. You don't have to stay here. This is why I never talk to anyone. What good does it get me? Just being yelled at, that's all!" Mark stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

Abby stuck her tongue out at his back, and flopped down onto the bed. The nerve of him! Folding down the covers for her like she was a kid who needed to be tucked in and kissed on the forehead! Well, knowing him, he'd probably snake a kiss on her lips. A melting kiss too, one that he'd give to any girl he'd try to shag. He'd probably somehow manage to get his tongue in there somewhere, while his hands were busy at the buttons on her jeans...

_Whoa. Get a hold of yourself, missy._ She wiped away the sweat that suddenly appeared on her forehead, slipped between the sheets and tried getting comfortable, but the image of her and Mark together still lingered in her mind. _He's a rat, remember? A no good, can't-keep-his-prick-in-his-pants rat. And he made fun of you. He did apologize for it, though. Or was he just trying to play you and now he has you in his room and could come in and attack you at any minute? _She heard Mark's intro on the loudspeakers out in the hallway and his velvety voice and managed to calm down. _Okay, he won't come in and attack you. But now that I've actually talked to him and kind of gotten to know him, he seems nice. But I won't let my guard down. Not for one minute..._


	4. Not A Very Good Liar

**AN:** Hello again! Just answering **jane doubleday**'s question: I think Tom Wisdom is absolutely gorgeous, and I didn't realize he was in _300_ until recently. I found him to be unbelievably sexy in _The Boat That Rocked_ (this is the version I prefer...much better than the American _Pirate Radio_). Like I said, I really didn't have any intention of writing this story until I had a dream about him (basically, the part in my story where Midnight Mark flops down on the bench and throws Abby his famous 'How 'bout it then?' line is what happened in my dream, except he did it to me). Good luck with your story, and I'm glad you like this one! =)

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

Not A Very Good Liar

Mark was done his show around 3 a.m. and sleepily made his way back to his room. He opened the door and took off his shirt, preparing to have a few hours sleep before dealing with what the morning had to bring. As he was taking off his boots, he heard a soft moan come from his bed.

"Oh fuck," he muttered. He had completely forgotten Abby was there. She moaned again and he moved closer to the bed to see if she was okay. Her dark hair was sprawled about the pillow, as if giving her a dark halo. Her left hand rested near her face, and the right hand had clasped the blanket to her chest as she faced the wall. She breathed deeply and evenly. The only word that he could use to describe how she looked was..._beautiful_. It felt weird to think about; the only time he had ever told a girl she was beautiful was to get in bed with her. Now, he actually meant it. He shook his head; he didn't know what the hell was going on with him anymore.

He saw her turn over and open her eyes slightly. He looked down and saw that he was only wearing his trousers. He panicked; she would probably think he was trying to shag her!

"Do you have another blanket, Mark?" He froze in place.

"N-no, I don't."

"It's cold. Come here." He waited a few moments before inching towards the bed. She reached out, her eyes now closed. He held out his hand and she grabbed it, pulling him down beside her. "You're so warm."

"Abby, I don't think..."

"Ssh," she interrupted him. "Don't move. I'm freezing." She had pushed him back so he was lying down on his side, facing her. She snuggled up to him, her forehead touching his chest. He heard her teeth lightly chattering. She was cold! "That's better," she sighed.

Mark stared at Abby, marvelling at how her face was so peaceful. After a few moments, he relaxed and dared to reach out and touch her. His fingertips lightly traced her face and he couldn't believe how soft her skin was. He smiled as he felt sleep come over him.

This girl was making him crazy, and he didn't seem to mind.

* * *

><p>Abby woke up in a dark room, her eyes adjusting to the shadows. She saw a faint light coming from the corner of her eye. Suddenly she heard a light snore coming from beside her. She turned and saw Mark, without a shirt on, lying down with his arm carelessly thrown across her hip. Her eyes widened as she edged away from him, her anger rising with every second. Without thinking, she shoved him off the bed. He got up in a daze.<p>

"What the hell do you think you were doing? You said you would leave me alone!" Abby practically yelled.

"I did."

"Oh, yeah? Then explain to me why we're sharing a bed and you've got your arm around me!"

Mark stood slowly and rubbed his face. "I had my arm around you?"

"Yes!"

"Well excuse me, but the only reason I was in bed with you in the first place was because you asked me to."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did! I came back from my bit, and I completely forgot you were sleeping in my room. I was about to leave when you told me to lie down with you because you were cold." Abby looked at him, stunned.

"I said that?" She then remembered her Dad telling her that sometimes she spoke in her sleep. "And you didn't try anything?"

"If I did, we'd probably both be naked right now. I like to think I'm better at taking clothes off than putting them back on." Abby looked down at herself and was shocked to see she was still dressed in what she was wearing the night before. She put her hand to her mouth, and blinked back tears.

"I'm sorry. I just...I get so defensive, especially when I'm around you."

"Why?"

"Because you're Midnight Mark! No woman is ever safe when she's around you, and it's hard for me to believe you're actually being sincere when you act nice to me. How do I know you don't just want to get in my pants?"

"I'll be honest. I'd love to shack up with you, but the Count would probably kill me and I can tell that you're not the kind of girl who falls for some sappy line. But I don't _just_ want to shag. `I want to be friends with you."

"Friends? Why would Midnight Mark want to be friends with a woman besides Felicity?"

"Because I like you, damn it!" They stared at each other, both taken aback at Mark's sudden outburst.

"You _like_ me?"

"Fuck. That's another reason why I don't talk. I say things I don't mean to say. You've turned everything upside down for me; I'm not acting the way I should around you. If I was on my game, or if you weren't so damned stubborn, then we would've done the deed months ago and I wouldn't be standing here trying to figure out why you make me nuts!"

"You like _me_? Are you putting me on? Because if you are-"

"Do you think I'm the type of guy that actually puts in this much effort with a girl? I'm fucking exhausted with you! You shoot me down constantly, and you can't see what's in front of your own nose. Yes, I like you. I like you a whole damn lot!" Abby looked down at the floor, and Mark panted heavily. He finally admitted it. He waited the explosion that he knew was inevitable. She slowly walked towards him. _Here it comes_, he thought as he mentally prepared himself for her rage. But to his surprise, there was no screaming, and no slapping of his face.

He hugged him. Tightly.

He stood still, not daring to move. Then he patted her stiffly on the back, and she looked up to him and smiled.

"You don't hug girls a lot, do you?"

"Why hug them when we can just shag?"

She laughed softly and he smiled. Then suddenly, an odd look appeared on her face.

"Do you mind if I try something?" He shook his head and watched her in amusement as she put her hands on his shoulders to lift herself up to his height. Slowly she moved her head closer to his, but then stopped, as if she was trying to make up her mind. He felt her breathing heavily, and his pulse began racing. He very nearly grabbed her then, but slowly moved his hands to rest on her waist instead, so he wouldn't alarm her. He could taste her breath; her mouth was so close, only millimetres away. He saw her close her eyes as she made up her mind.

"Mark! Are you awake?" Both Abby and Mark turned their heads to the door at the same time.

"Was that my dad?"

"Mark!" the voice was louder this time.

"Oh, fuck!" Mark whispered as Abby pushed herself away from him. Mark grabbed the nearest shirt he could find and threw it on, along with his boots. Abby ran into the bathroom and hid behind the door, leaving it partly open. Mark managed to pull himself together just in time, for the Count had swung the door open only seconds later.

"Morning," Mark said, taking a cigarette out of the box. He lit it carelessly, all the while his heart pounded in his chest.

"Do you know where Abby is?" Count asked. He was clearly worried. "I've been looking for her but no one's seen her."

"Last night," Mark said, and pointed to the ceiling.

"On deck? You sure?" Mark simply shrugged and took another drag of his cigarette. "Okay. That girl is gonna be the fucking death of me one of these days. Sorry to uh, bust in on you like that." The Count backed out of the room and closed the door, and Mark let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He saw Abby peer out of the bathroom, and motioned for her to come out. She giggled when she realized that she was safe.

"I gotta get going. If my dad finds me here he'll flip."

"I'll see you later," Mark said, laughing as he walked her to the door. He opened it and glanced down the hallway, making sure no one was coming. "Coast's clear." Abby double checked the hallway again and stepped out. Then she turned around to face Mark.

"Thanks for letting me sleep here," she said. He nodded, but noticed a playful glint in her eye and regarded her curiously. Before he knew it, she grabbed his face and kissed him on the lips. It didn't last for more than a few seconds, but when she pulled away, he felt as if his breath was sucked right out of him. She giggled again as she watched his reaction and ran down the hallway, not looking back at him. Mark closed the door to his room, and leaned against it.

He didn't even bother trying to make the goofy grin on his face disappear.

* * *

><p><em>Next Morning<em>.

Abby's punishment for nearly giving the Count a heart attack was laundry duty. He ordered her to go into every room and gather whatever the deejays deemed 'dirty clothes' and hand-wash them up on the deck. To his surprise, Abby didn't seem to mind; he didn't know that she preferred to do that than have him find out where she really was all night. At least it would keep her out of everyone's hair for the crew's annual 'Fan Come-Aboard' (that's what the Count called it) which happened to be today.

The music thundered through the boat as she went from room to room, the pile in her arms seeming to grow larger by the minute. Completely engrossed in her work, she subconsciously began moving to the music and eventually began singing along with the track as she entered Gavin's room.

"My love is aliiiiive way down in my heaaart, although we are miles apart. If you ever need a helping haaaand, I'll be there on the double, just as fast as I can. Don't you know that there's...WHOA!" She exclaimed when she felt a set of hands come around her waist and yank her back. She suddenly found herself pressed up against someone, tightly. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Hey. Just because we got chummy last night, it doesn't mean you can sexually assault me whenever you feel like it," she, said sarcastically. She looked over her shoulder and found not Mark, whom she thought had grabbed her, but Gavin.

"What a marvellous singing voice you have. And will you please enlighten me on who you think you were just talking to?" he said silkily in her ear. She broke free of his grasp and stared at him.

"N-no one."

"You, Abigail, are not a very good liar. I can tell that one of these chaps on board has put a smile on that lovely face. Now come on and tell Gavin just who it was. Or wait," he said as he sat down on his bed and crossed his legs, "Maybe I can guess." Abby stood in front of him defiantly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"There's no point in doing that, because no one—"

"Mark."Abby gawked at him, open mouthed. Gavin smiled cheekily. "It's no use to lie, love. Your face is red as hell right now, that's proof enough." Abby's hands immediately went to her face. He was right, she was burning.

"How did you even guess it was him?" She didn't see the point in denying what he seemed to already know.

"I can tell by how he's been looking at you lately, like he's hungry for something he can't have. He usually gets that way when he sees a girl; _any_ girl really. And am I right to assume he was finally successful?"

"No, he wasn't," Abby said, nostrils flaring. Did everyone think she was really that easy?

"Ah well, he'll get his way eventually. Always has and always will. When an attractive female is in his sights, they don't stand a chance. Did you know it _only_ took him 30 minutes to get Young Carl's mum into his bed?"

"He slept with Carl's _mom_?"

"Yeah. We were all proud of him for that one, except for poor Carl of course. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a group of ladies on deck who are dying to hang on my every word. It would be rude of me not to oblige them." He stood and walked out of the room, leaving Abby alone. She bent to pick up the laundry she dropped. _He slept with Carl's mom?_

She finished up in Gavin's room and headed for the next one, which was Mark's. She immediately forgot about what Gavin had told her and blushed again as she remembered the events from the night before, as well as this morning. Maybe she was wrong to judge him so quickly; he did, after all, seem quite honest when he told her that he liked her. _A lot_, she mentally added, smiling brightly. When she opened the door, she saw that his bed was made again and she chuckled to herself as she searched his room for his laundry, but didn't find any. She shrugged her shoulders and headed back for the door, but just as she was about to leave, the door swung open.

"Abby?" Mark stood in the doorway, his arms holding two heavily made up blondes and a skinny brunette. His eyes were larger than Abby had ever seen them. The girls eyed Abby with a look of venom, and one reached out to put her hand through Mark's hair, obviously threatened by her presence.

"Hi. Just getting your laundry, but there isn't any so I'll be going now," Abby said, her voice nearly screeching. She was trying to act cheerful, but she was overdoing it, she knew. "Enjoy yourselves girls. Don't tire him out too much though, he's got a show to do later!" she said over her shoulder as she practically ran down the corridor. As she turned to go up the stairs, she saw Mark standing in the hallway, staring after her.

"Fuck."


	5. You Talk Too Much

Chapter 5

You Talk Too Much

Mark found Abby up on deck about an hour later, hunched over a steel tub of soapy water. The sleeves of her shirt were rolled up over her elbows, and her hair was in a messy ponytail. She lifted one soapy hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead (the sun was beating down like crazy) and continued scrubbing what looked like one of Bob's scarves. She was completely engrossed in what she was doing, rhythmically lathering the material, squeezing out the excess water and then smelling it to make sure it was, indeed, clean. As she reached for the next item, he cleared his throat and she turned to him.

"Abby?" She looked at him with a smile on her face, but he could see that it didn't quite stretch all the way up.

"Hey Mark. What's up?"

"I...I," he suddenly forgot what it was he had meant to say to her. He stood there stupidly and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Are you just gonna stand there, or do you have something to say?" Her tone was snappy, but he could tell that she was trying her best to control her anger.

"I want to talk to you about those girls earlier."

"What girls? Oh, the ones you were bringing to your room? How did they enjoy their especially private tour with Midnight Mark? Never mind," she said as she lifted her hand to stop him from speaking. "I'll probably hear it from one of the guys later."

"Listen, Abby, I just wanted to tell you I feel really bad about what happened."

"Why? I'm nothing special to you. I mean, it's not like we pledged our undying love for each other or got engaged or something. You just said you like me. That's all," she said as she grabbed the basket of clean clothes that was beside her and stood up. She turned to leave him but he grabbed her arm. "Let go of me," she muttered heatedly. He looked around and dragged her behind the smokestack so they were out of view to anyone who might come up on deck. Once there, he took the basket out of her arms and tossed it to the floor. He grabbed her shoulders and pressed her to him, kissing her roughly. Abby pushed herself away and slapped him in the face so hard, that he nearly toppled over.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she yelled.

"Abby, it was the only way I could think of to let you know that you're not just some..."

"What? 'An attractive female you've caught in your sights'?" Abby quoted. He seemed to remember that Gavin had told him that once and now had the decency to look ashamed. "I've been kissed a hundred times before and none of them made me feel as disgusted as I feel with you right now. And to think, I nearly fell for your crap about 'Oh, I want to be friends with you, Abby'!" She mocked his tone and movements; if it wasn't for the fact that she was ready to kill him right then, he would've laughed. But he stood in place, his hand absently rubbing his reddened cheek. "I hope you had fun with those whores from before, or maybe next time Carl's mom comes for a visit it'll be easier for you to get her in bed because you won't take you thirty minutes like the last time. Just leave me alone, Mark!" She grabbed the forgotten basket and ran off, but not before Mark saw tears beginning to form in her eyes. This was the worst he had ever felt about a girl rejecting him. Not even rejecting him; she practically spit in his face. And he actually cared.

* * *

><p>"Lovely night, isn't it?" Dave greeted the other deejays as he stumbled into the dining room. He sniffed the air, and gasped lightly. "What is that <em>heavenly<em> smell?"

"Pizza. Mom's special recipe," Abby said as she knelt down to open the oven. She wiped her hands on her apron and took the pizza out, placing it on two mats she had put on the counter. The Count was the first to get up and attempt to take a slice, but Abby lightly slapped his hand away.

"Did you just hit your father?" Count scolded jokingly.

"It's hot! Besides, what if you burned your tongue and Gavin ends up doing all of your shows?" Count looked to Gavin, who was grinning at Abby's comment.

"Go on, mate. Have a slice." Count backed away from the counter and slumped in his chair, defeated. Over the speakers, Mark's intro was heard but he didn't say anything. In fact, he didn't say a word for over an hour, which was odd even for him

"Well, sounds like something's got Mark feeling a bit down. Or," Gavin looked to Abby, winking, "Some_one_." Abby pretended she didn't hear him and took off her apron. She touched the pan, satisfied it was cool enough, and brought it to the table.

"Eat up guys," she said, hands on her hips. Each deejay grabbed a slice and ate it with zeal. Even Quentin had emerged from his office at the smell of Abby's cooking and grabbed a slice. She smiled as he sat down (she hardly ever saw him), and he gave her a brief nod of approval when he took a bite.

"Getting back to Mark," Simon mumbled through a mouthful of pizza. "He's actually been acting kind of weird for a few weeks now."

"What do you mean, 'weird'?" Count asked, reaching for another slice.

"Well, he hasn't had any 'visitors' on board, if you know what I mean," Simon said, with his head tilted and his eyebrows raised.

"And he's been kind of quiet, hasn't he?" Everyone seated at the table looked to Kevin, who was eating the pizza the wrong way around.

"Kevin, he...just put your fucking head down," Count said, frustrated. He didn't bother to explain that Mark is always quiet. "But you're right, Simon. Something's up. He's even playing depressing songs when he's on the air." Their conversation was silenced when they finally heard Mark's low voice on the speaker.

"Now, something for someone very special." There was dead air for a split second, but Abby's ears perked up when she heard the familiar opening guitar chords.

_Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away  
>Now it looks as though they're here to stay,<br>Oh, I believe in yesterday_

_Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be  
>There's a shadow hanging over me<br>Oh, yesterday came suddenly_

_Why she had to go  
>I don't know, she wouldn't say<br>I said something wrong  
>Now I long for yesterday<em>

"He's playing the Beatles? Uh oh," Simon remarked as he slowly took a bite of his new slice of pizza. Abby sat down beside News John and discreetly whispered to him.

"Doesn't Mark like the Beatles?"

"Yes, I believe he does. But he only plays them when he's in a serious mood. The fact that he's playing this particular song means that he's putting profound thought into something important."

Abby leaned away from him when he turned away and listened to the tune. She had no doubt in her mind that he meant to play that song for her. She looked at her dirty sneakers, deep in thought. Just when she thought she finally had Mark figured out, he does something completely out of left wing and mixes things up again. She decided that it was time to make up her mind once and for all.

* * *

><p>Abby's jaw was set firmly as she made her way down the hall to Mark's room when he was done his show. Making sure no one saw her, she turned the handle and stepped in, closing the door behind her. She saw him lying in his bed, with a scarf over his face to block out what little light there was left in the room. As she approached the bed, he lifted his hand in the air and pointed to the door.<p>

"Whoever it is, out. Now."

"Is that how your Auntie taught you how to greet guests, Mark?" Abby teased, grinning. He shot straight up, and moved the scarf out of his face.

"Abby? You...you heard—"

"Yeah, I heard the song. Care to explain?"

"It was the only thing I could think of. You wouldn't talk to me, and I had to get your attention somehow."

"Well, it worked. I'm here."

"I know." He looked at the ground as she moved to sit beside him on the bed.

"So?"

"I'm sorry."

"I've been hearing that a lot from you," she said as she crossed her arms.

"I mean it!"

"Do you really?"

"Yes."

"I'm still not sure if I can trust you. Look at what happened with those girls, and after what happened between us..." Abby shifted her eyes away from him to look at the floor.

"Abby, I said I like you," _And you kissed me_, he thought. "As for those girls, nothing happened."

"Nothing? The famous Midnight Mark is losing his touch?" Abby joked, but stopped chuckling when she saw the wounded look on his face. "Do you mind explaining what 'nothing' means?"

"They left. I sent them off after I saw the look on your face when you walked out of my room. Until then, I never realized how many girls I must have hurt over the years," he looked at her guiltily. "But ever since you showed up, I'm realizing things about myself that I've kept hidden away from everyone else, because you let me be myself when we're alone together." His eyes held a vulnerability that Abby had never seen before. It's like he was taking off his mask for her, so she could see the real Mark behind Midnight Mark.

"You're telling the truth, aren't you?" Abby asked softly. He nodded and looked to the ground. Silence hung in the air around them for a long time.

"Abby?"

"Mark, I think..."

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Mark stood up and threw his arms in the air in frustration. "Stop thinking, Abby! Feel! Do what you _feel_ and not what you think for once in your life!" He saw a flash in her eyes as she stood up to her full height.

"You want me to feel? Fine!" She grabbed his face and brought his lips down to meet hers, nearly sending him into shock. When he realized she wasn't pulling away any time soon, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her as close to him as possible. He felt her tongue searching for his in their frenzied kiss and he willingly obliged her, feeling her begin to slump against him.

Abby couldn't believe the effect Mark had on her. He infuriated her, he made her cry, and sometimes he even made her sick. But there was always that dangerous longing that she tried to keep buried down, and seeing him expose himself like that to her was more than she could take. She couldn't deny her attraction to him anymore; it was starting to make her go crazy.

Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as she felt one of Mark's surprisingly soft hands slide just underneath her shirt at her waist. She grabbed the back of his head as if to try and push their lips closer together. She kissed him hungrily, her head swirling as he moved against her, pressing her gently up against the wall. While he moved down to kiss her collarbone, she began unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you doing, love?" he breathed into her right ear. She groaned lightly.

"Clothes...too many." She could barely form a full sentence and he chuckled, but then sobered. He looked into her large eyes with all the seriousness he could collect, despite the situation.

"Abby, I hope you know what you're doing. I don't want this to be a regret for you later, and I don't exactly know how experienced you are-" He was cut off mid-sentence by her lips on his again. He felt her smile and when he pulled away, there was a playful glint in her brown eyes.

"You talk too much, you know?"


	6. It'll Be Like A Game

**AN:** For anyone who's getting confused, this is an entirely new boat that these guys are on. Everyone's room is different than their old ones because the boat itself is smaller. Just thought I'd point that out. =)

* * *

><p><strong>A Girl Like You<br>**

Chapter 6

It'll Be Like A Game

Mark woke first, finding himself lying on his back in a tangled mess of sheets with Abby lying beside him. Her body faced the wall, her hands hidden underneath the pillow. He smiled as he looked at her; her dark hair tousled, her cheeks still pink. He saw her limbs exposed, her soft, peachy skin as inviting as it was only a few hours before. He heard her sigh in her sleep, and then saw a small smile slowly appear on her face. His heart gave a large thump in his chest as he languorously remembered the details of last night.

Abby was not inexperienced, he soon found out. In fact, she made him downright sweat, but in a good way. He remembered her moans, the taste of her and the smell of her hair as he buried his face in it. _Vanilla_, he thought dreamily. He marvelled at how their two bodies seemed to move together perfectly, like they were made from the same mould. And she was completely different than other girls he had been with; she knew where to touch and when, and he actually enjoyed the fact that _he_ got to make love to _her_, instead of the other way around, which is what he was used to. He wondered if the Count knew that his seemingly innocent baby girl was secretly a devil in the sack.

_The Count_, he thought with a jolt. What the hell would he do if he found out what happened? Kill him, probably. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out. Abby sighed again, and Mark's thoughts of the Count tying him to a barrel like he had vowed soon disappeared. _Sod the Count_, he thought as he wrapped his arm around Abby's waist and pulled her closer to him. _If he kills me, at least I'll die a happy man_.

Abby squinted as she opened her eyes, trying to block out the sun that peered through Mark's dark curtains. She smiled as she felt his breath at the nape of her neck, and the feeling of his rising chest against her bare back. Memories rushed to her as she remembered the night before, and a blush travelled along her entire body. His hands were _everywhere_, exploring, caressing every inch of her, skilfully examining her like she was a piece of art. She had never been with someone as...experienced as he was, and the end result was mind-blowing. Now she knew why he had girls practically throwing themselves at him; the guy was amazing in bed.

When she turned her head, she was surprised to find Mark smiling back at her.

"Good morning," she said sleepily.

"It certainly is," he returned, and kissed her nose. He smiled wider when she turned around and snuggled close to him, placing her head in the curve of his shoulder. He felt her shiver slightly. "Are you cold?"

She nodded and he reached down to grab the tangled sheet, pulling it over them and running his hand lightly along the curve of her side as he did so. She shivered again and smiled.

"If you keep doing stuff like that, I'll never leave."

"Do you think I want you to?" he asked silkily. She huffed and sat up, wrapping the sheet around her. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to my room." She hopped over him and stood and the end of the bed, trying to ignore his nakedness (to which he obviously showed no shame). "My dad's going to come looking for me, and plus you probably want me to go..." she faltered when she saw him sit up and grab her wrist.

"You're not going anywhere, now get back here" he said playfully as he pulled her back down beside him. Abby giggled as Mark fell on top of her, kissing her gently.

"No, seriously. What if my dad finds me in here with you?"

"I'm too busy right now to worry about that," Mark said, his voice thick as he trailed a line of kisses down Abby's neck and onto her shoulder. She moaned and ran her fingers through his hair as his hands roamed over her body. "Christ, you're beautiful."

"Yeah. How many girls have you said _that_ to?"

"Hundreds." She smacked his head lightly, but he saw she was smiling when he looked up. "But this is the first time I've actually meant it."

"You don't have to keep using lines on me. You've had me already, and you're well on your way to having me again," she said breathlessly.

"Oh, really?" He smiled against the skin near her navel. "What if I told you that they're not lines? What if I said I mean every single word I'm saying and that last night was the best sex I've ever had?"

"Coming from you, that's like getting a standing ovation plus a parade," she said, surprised. She pulled him up so her eyes were level with his, his hands inches away from her breasts. "And _you_ certainly lived up to your reputation. And then some." He laughed when she winked at him. But then he noticed that her face grew serious.

"What's wrong?"

"What happens next, Mark? I mean, it took forever for us to get here. Now what? I don't know about you, but I can't leave here and pretend like what happened last night didn't mean anything." He took her face in his hands and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Abby, you're like no other girl I've ever known. I think of you of the best friend I never had. Oh sure, the guys on the boat are great, but..."

"You don't get to shag them because they're not girls."

"I'm being serious here, and you're making jokes," Mark said, laughing. He stared at the hollow base of her neck, trying not to meet her eyes. "Remember when I said I like you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I think those feelings have developed into something a little more serious." Abby sat up and stared at him, holding her breath.

"Mark, you mean-"

"No, it's not love." He saw her exhale, but her eyes were still fixed on him. He instantly felt terrified about the next words on his tongue. "But I'm pretty sure that's the direction that I'm headed in." He felt Abby go incredibly still, as if she suddenly became a statue. He even waved his hand in front of her face.

"Midnight Mark is falling in love with me," she stated softly.

"No. Just Mark." He could hardly bear the silence between them; it seemed to last forever. But words couldn't describe how he felt when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him then, her cheeks suddenly wet with tears. "I hope this means you're happy!"

"More than happy. I think, no, I _know_ I feel the same as you do," she said, smiling.

"Now we have another problem."

"What's that?" Abby said absently. She was distracted at the moment by the lines of muscle on his torso, which she began tracing with her fingers.

"Do we tell anyone? About us?" He made a growling noise that rumbled in his chest, and she put her hands flat against him so she could feel it.

"There's only one person who knows," she said, lightly running her fingernails down along his arms. "Gavin."

"How does he know?" Mark asked, surprised. To his knowledge, everybody assumed that Abby hated him.

"He took a wild guess one day. Apparently I'm not too good at hiding my feelings." Mark growled louder now, unable to contain himself any longer. Abby was driving him mad with her touch. Before she knew it, she was back under him, his athletic frame completely covering her.

"So what's the plan?" he asked while burying his face in her dark hair and gently biting her earlobe.

"Let's see how long it takes for people to figure it out. It'll be like a game for the two of us. Plus, how exciting is it thinking that at any moment, someone could walk through that door and find us," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, "like this?"

"Or like this," he said with a smile as he pulled the sheet over them once more.

* * *

><p><em>2 weeks later.<em>

"Gavin, are you busy right now?" Gavin looked up from a stack of records he was planning to play during his show to find Abby.

"Abby, love, you know I'm about to go on air in 20 minutes."

"It won't take long, I promise." Gavin took note of the slight plea in her eyes and sighed. He got up and followed her, realizing that she was leading him to her cabin. A smirk appeared on his face. _Interesting_.

She pushed him into the small room and locked the door behind her.

"Just wait a second," she told him, and held her finger to her lips to hush him before he had the chance to speak. He looked at her, puzzled as they stood in silence. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. She opened it, and to his surprise, Mark stepped in.

"What are you doing here?" He was further surprised when Mark placed a quick peck on Abby's lips. "That's like asking for a swift execution, mate!"

"Relax, Gavin. We, uh...settled things?" Abby looked at Mark for reassurance. He nodded and smiled down at her.

"He finally got his way with you, did he?"

"Yes, he did."

"And you haven't killed him yet?"

"Nope."

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised; what with the sexual tension that's been surrounding you two lately. But what exactly does it mean?"

"She's my girl now," Mark stated simply, putting his arm securely around Abby's waist. Gavin was obviously taken aback.

"Midnight Mark has finally hung up the leather slacks, eh? Well, it was good fun while it lasted. And may I just say that you have superb taste. Good on you, mate," Gavin said as he headed for the door.

"Hold it. We're not done yet," Abby said, her eyes holding a look of dead seriousness. "You have to promise not to tell anyone. Mark and I want to have a bit of fun first before anyone finds out."

"Abby, dear, you can always trust Gavin with your deepest, darkest secrets," he said while giving a slight mocking bow. When he saw she wasn't laughing, he cleared his throat. "I won't tell a soul," he said sincerely.

"Good. Now get back to your microphone," Abby ordered, waving him away. Gavin gave a little salute and slipped out the door, closing it firmly behind him. Mark locked it and turned to face Abby, a mischievous look on his face.

"Now, how about showing me those polka-dot pajamas?"


	7. Truth Or Dare

**A Girl Like You**

Chapter 7

Truth Or Dare

It was the happiest Abby had felt in a long time.

By the beginning of October, the relationship between Mark and herself had grown stronger. They made love all the time, of course, but then there were the times when they would just lie down beside each other and talk about anything; music, their families and even their lives before the boat. They had come to know each other better than anyone else ever could. But Mark could tell that Abby was starting to get tired of running around and meeting in secret. Personally, he was getting bored of it too; not their relationship, God no, but the fact that they had to hide it from everyone. They had spoken about how they would break the news to the Count, but neither of them actually had the courage to do it, at least not yet.

"Hey, there's my girl!" Count exclaimed as Abby walked onto the deck a week later. "It's like I haven't seen you in days. Where've you been?"

"Um, Felicity's been keeping me busy." Actually, Felicity had caught her and Mark practically having sex in the pantry three days ago and, after she got over the initial shock, she seemed genuinely happy for them. She agreed not to blow their cover as long as they promised not to go anywhere near the pantry again. "You know, chores and stuff. She's given me tonight off though."

"Good. Come here and sit down." She joined the group of deejays who were seated in a circle on pillows and deck chairs and managed to find a spot on the floor between Carl, who moved to make room for her, and Mark, who was lounging on a large pillow. She rolled her eyes when she saw him and he pretended not to notice her, but they were the only ones who knew that their blood started racing just at the sight of one another. Well, them and Gavin, who noticed the blush that crossed Abby's cheeks as she sat down and tried to get as close to Carl as possible.

"What are we doing?" She asked once she was comfortable. She noticed an empty beer bottle in the centre of the circle and began to giggle. "Is there something going on here that I don't know about? I mean, I know you guys rarely get the chance to have sex with women, but..."

"No! We're playing truth or dare," Carl explained to her, blushing slightly."We spin that bottle instead of picking people ourselves. It's fairer that way." She nodded in understanding and spent the rest of the evening trying her best to ignore Mark, who sat slightly behind her. She could feel his breath on her exposed neck and suppressed a shiver every time he exhaled.

The night progressed with many laughs and embarrassments. Poor Kevin was the brunt of many of the jokes, mainly because of how thick he was (obviously) and John was given the worst dares of all, because they guys knew he was so shy. About once or twice, Mark leaned to flick the ashes from his cigarette into the ashtray that was behind Abby and pinched her bottom discreetly. She gave a small yelp the first time, causing Carl to look at her in surprise, but she assured him it was nothing. _I'm gonna get him for that_, Abby thought with a smile.

"Whose turn is it?"

"Mine," said Simon, raising his beer. He spun the bottle and it wobbled to a stop, pointing to Mark. After thinking about it, he finally spoke. "Mark, my lad, I dare you to say an entire sentence as loud as you can." Everyone turned to Mark in anticipation, waiting to see if the eternally silent deejay would go through with the dare. Even Abby never heard him raise his voice, so she was curious to know what he would do. He looked back at her and smiled conspiratorially.

"I DARE ABBY TO KISS ME RIGHT NOW!"

"Holy fuck, that was loud. Wait, what?" Count said, his eyebrows coming together. Abby looked at him, and then back at Mark in a panic. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"Mark, are you serious? _Now_?" Abby asked, blown away.

"It's a little too late to turn back," Mark whispered to her, taking her hand and helping her up to stand with him. "Aren't you tired of hiding? If we're happy, then why shouldn't anyone know?"

"Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?" Count yelled frantically. He looked among the group around him, but they all seemed as stunned as he was.

"Give me a second, Dad," Abby said with her hand up, as if trying to calm him down. She looked to the ground and then back up to Mark. "Are you sure?" He didn't need to speak, for she found the answer in his blue eyes. Then, to everyone's shock, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with no shame. When they pulled apart, they turned to the faces of their friends, who stared at them with their mouths hanging open. The Count looked like he was ready to pass out.

"Isn't anyone going to say _anything_?" Abby asked desperately as Mark moved closer to her and put both of his arms around her waist. The Count stood up from his chair and walked towards them, and Abby knew exactly what he was going to do. But before she could stop him, he reared up and punched Mark right in the face.

"Dad!" Mark dropped to the floor and curled up in a ball. Abby ran to his side to help him, stroking his hair as he writhed in pain.

"You fucking bastard! That's for taking advantage of my baby girl!"

"Hold him!" Gavin shouted as he moved to grab the Count before he could do any more damage. Simon, Harold and Dave grabbed his arms, while Kevin clung to one of his legs.

"Dad! Stop it!"

"What's all this then?" Quentin said as he emerged from below deck.

"Abby was seduced by this fucking sex-maniac! You couldn't wait until next Saturday, could you? You had to use _my_ daughter to satisfy your lust and then you'll throw her away the minute another girl comes along!"

"That's not true." Mark's voice was muffled by his hand, which he held to his throbbing face as he slowly stood back up.

"How long has this been going on?" Quentin stepped between the two men. Abby stood in front of Mark to defend him in case Count got loose.

"We've been seeing each other for at least couple of months."

"A couple of _months_?" Count shouted.

"Yes, okay? We're together. We didn't plan this, Dad. It just sort of happened...like with you and Mom." The Count seemed to relax and the men loosened their grip on him. He slumped back into his chair and put his head in his hands.

"Abby, he's _Midnight_ Mark! Do you know how many girls he's had sex with over the years?"

"Why do you make it sound like I was taken advantage of? For your information, I'm no virgin!"

"Oh, fuck," Count groaned. "I didn't need to hear that!" Mark stepped out from behind Abby and sat beside the Count. Quentin stood and announced that everyone should leave, knowing that they needed to talk.

"Whatever you need to know, you can find out later," he told them as he ushered the group away. "Count, if you hit Mark again, please try and keep away from his mouth."

When the three of them- Abby, Mark and the Count- were alone, there was an awkward silence until Mark spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Count. The only reason we've been sneaking around is because Abby knew you were going to react like this."

"But of all people, she chooses you. Why?"

"Who else would you have me be with, Dad? Is anyone ever going to be good enough for you?" She moved a chair in front of the two men and sat down. "He makes me happy. And it's not like we're going to get married tomorrow or anything. We're taking things as they come and letting them develop."

Mark nodded in agreement. "I care about Abby, Count. A lot. I think I love her," Abby's eyes met his and she gave him a warm smile. "And we understand that you're uncomfortable with this, but it's how it is. I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, and we'd hate for you not to at least try to give us a chance."

Abby held her breath as Count rubbed his face with his hands, as if trying to wake himself up.

"I don't really know how to feel right now. Can you at least hold off on the lovey-dovey crap while you're in front of me until I think I can stomach it?" Abby hugged him and murmured a thank you, while Count turned to Mark. "I have a few things I have to say to _you_ though. First: holy shit, I think that's the most you've ever said!"

Mark chuckled. "Yeah, I've heard that before."

"Second: if I ever find out that she's cried because of you, or that you hurt her in any way, I will personally castrate you and keep the remains in a jar on my shelf. Got it?"

"Yes, sir." Mark nodded with a gulp.

"Third: If you get her pregnant, I want the kid named after me."

"What makes you think that I'll get pregnant?" Abby demanded, slightly hurt.

"I'm just saying it runs in the family, so be careful. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to drink until I can't remember what happened here tonight." He kissed Abby's cheek and mumbled an apology to Mark for punching him before sprinting below deck. Abby sighed as she turned to face Mark when they were alone.

"That went better than I expected. I had thought he would actually try to kill you."

"No way. Can't you tell that the guy loves me?" He laughed and then winced, remembering the pain from his injury.

"Come with me. I think you're getting a black eye," Abby said as she grabbed his sleeve and tugged him down the stairs. They entered the kitchen where she ordered him to sit down while she got some ice for him.

"A black eye? Well that's wonderful," Mark grumbled sarcastically and Abby laughed.

"No one will notice; you wear your sunglasses half of the time anyway. Besides," she returned to him with a grin on her face," you should know that I happen to find black eyes _very_ attractive on men." She gave a squeal of delight and surprise when he suddenly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him, so she was standing between his legs.

"Really? Is there anything else your dad would hit me for?"

"I think one shiner is enough for you. Do you really want to ruin that pretty face of yours?" Mark smiled as Abby leaned down and kissed him gently, only to be interrupted by a loud voice.

"Hey, you lovebirds!" Angus teased as he entered the room, the rest of the group following him. Abby tried moving away, but Mark kept her in place using his legs. She pressed the ice to his eye lightly, ignoring the whistles and jeers from the men that entered the room.

"Hope we're not interrupting anything, but we were wondering if you'd answer a few questions?" Dave asked as he took a beer out of the fridge.

"Let's have it," Abby said, still concentrating on Mark's eye.

"First off, Mark, how is she in the sack?" Abby took an empty beer can and threw it in Dave's general direction. Mark discreetly motioned to the group by putting his forefinger and his thumb together in a circle, giving them the 'great' gesture. They were men, after all. They spoke about these things. Abby noticed and slapped his hand down.

"Next question!"


	8. Who Would've Thought

**A Girl Like You**

Chapter 8

Who Would've Thought...

As the days passed, everyone seemed to grow comfortable with the fact that Abby and Mark were together. The Count even started to look Mark in the face again, but visibly cringed whenever Mark took Abby's hand or if Abby leaned against Mark's chest affectionately. Other than that, nothing really changed on the boat. They were both given a stern lecture from Quentin about how he hoped they knew what they were doing and Mark would have to keep up appearances by pretending he was still single for the listeners of his show, seeing how his general audience was women. They could do as they pleased, except in front of the fans.

Soon, Abby's birthday had arrived. Everyone bustled about the boat, decorating and making everything festive, while Felicity banned Abby from the kitchen for the day. Abby couldn't figure out why for the life of her they were making such a fuss.

"Dad, I'm only turning 23," she protested when the Count walked her to her room. "That's hardly a big deal."

"I want this to be special. I missed your last five birthdays, and I want to make up for it. Now don't leave this room until I send someone to get you. I have a surprise for you."

Abby sat in her room for hours, unable to come up with a way to cure her increasing boredom. Finally, frustrated and tired, she decided to take a nap and found it was nearly dark when she woke. She began getting dressed with the outfit the Count had surprised her with earlier when she heard a familiar knock on her door.

"Abby, are you dressed?"

"It depends on who's asking," Abby shouted back with a smirk. Mark opened the door and smiled when he saw her, only wearing bright red tights and a bra.

"Well, it looks like I arrived just in time."

"To help me get my clothes on or off?" He moved towards her and took the white dress from her hands and kissed her. When he pulled away, she pouted her bottom lip. "Am I allowed to come out of my room?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure I want to let you go just yet. You have no idea how appealing you look right now."

"Knock it off. There'll be plenty of time for that later and I hope you're up for it. You know you have to do what the birthday girl says." She pushed herself away teasingly and placed the dress over her head. "Now help me with the zipper on this thing."

They walked into the dining room together, and Abby's face gleamed when she saw her surprise. An older woman sat at the table speaking with the Count and an older man stood stiffly beside her, glancing up when Abby walked into the room.

"Mom!"

"Abby! Happy birthday, sweetheart!" Abby's mother Rita threw her arms around her daughter lovingly and Abby returned the embrace.

"This is my surprise, Dad?" Abby said as she approached Ted, her stepfather, and giving him a light hug.

"If you don't like it, I can always send them right back. No questions asked." Count teased and Abby smiled.

"And who is _this_?" Rita asked as she eyed the young man standing behind Abby.

"Oh, this is Mark." Abby pulled Mark forward so he was standing beside her. He shook both Rita and Ted's hand before standing nervously beside Abby. He never had to 'meet the parents' before.

"He's her _boyfriend_," Count remarked, offering Ted a beer. When he turned back around, he saw the surprised look on Rita's face and raised an eyebrow at Abby. "You didn't tell your mother?"

"No, as a matter of fact. Abby, how could you not tell me about something like this? You have a boyfriend, and you didn't think to let _me_ know about it?"

"Mom, it all happened so fast, _I'm_ still not sure exactly what's happening."

"Well, I have a few questions for you," Rita said, turning to Mark with a serious look. "What do you do for a living, young man?"

"He's a deejay; his show is on right after Dad's," Abby answered.

"Wait a minute, you're _Midnight _Mark?" Ted stood and stared in awe at the man before him and then turned to Abby with a smirk. "How did you manage that?" Abby shrugged as Mark placed his arm around her waist. Rita stared at the couple, as if trying to make sense of what they just told her, and then pointed an accusing finger to Mark.

"Is he the reason why you were getting in trouble in school, Abby?" Rita demanded. Abby's eyes grew wide.

"Mom, don't-"

"Every weekend, without fail, I would get a call from the dean at her college," Rita turned to the Count, not seeing Abby motioning her to keep quiet. "There would be constant complaints from the girls in her dorm. Apparently, she would keep them awake until 3 AM because she had to listen to _Midnight Mark's_ show."

"Mom!" Abby looked up at Mark, who was grinning down at her, obviously amused. She blushed deeply and tried her best to frown. "Get that look off of your face, Mark. I liked the music you played. That's all."

"Sure she did," Rita rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Are we done here?" The Count interrupted. "I'd like to get things rolling. Everyone up the stairs, now!" The group climbed the steps that led outside. When they reached the deck, Abby was astonished at what she saw.

There were strands of lights everywhere, making it seems as if there were thousands of fireflies surrounding the boat. One long table was set in the middle, with a white balloon tied to each chair and five different coloured balloons tied to a chair at the head of the table. Abby looked at the people around her and saw all of the deejays wearing party hats with the exception of Gavin, of course, and Quentin. Each of them wished her a 'happy birthday' with a warm smile.

"Wow," Abby whispered, suddenly overcome.

"Do you like it?" Count approached her. He was startled by Abby's unexpected embrace.

"It's amazing," she looked up at him, her eyes shining. Count felt his own eyes begin to fill too. "Are you crying, Dad?"

"Hey, a man is allowed to feel, isn't he?" He hastily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and led her to the head chair, where a little paper crown wrapped in tin foil was placed on her plate.

"Why do I get a crown?" She picked it up and studied it. It was poorly crafted, the points uneven and the little pieces of candy that served as jewels were beginning to slip away from the places where they were glued. Abby had never seen anything more beautiful in her life.

"You're the Count's daughter. That practically makes you a princess," he said, placing the crown on her head. He squinted at Mark, who stood beside him. "You could've picked a better prince charming, though."

"Who says I was looking for a prince charming?" Abby winked at Mark, who gave a joking bow and sat in his seat. "The bad boys are always more fun." She laughed at the Count's sour face and sat in her own chair, her mother on her right, and her father on the left.

Felicity had cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone, the Count having specifically asked for a typical American meal. She had even made the birthday cake herself as a thank you for all the help Abby gave her while she was living on the boat. The music blared through the speakers, and there was even a makeshift dance floor in the center of the boat. Everyone was having a great time.

"By the way, Abby, George misses you," Ted mentioned when they were having their dessert.

"Does he?" Abby looked up from her piece of cake and smiled. Mark took notice, and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. _George?_

"Oh, yes," Rita continued for him. "Every night he would stand in the doorway of your room waiting for you. Ted and I just started letting him sleep in your bed because he would start crying when we would close the door."

"I miss him too," Mark noticed Abby's eyes begin to water. "Make sure you give him a hug for me when you get back home."

"How old is your brother?" Mark asked when Rita and Ted went to dance. The Count was on the other end of the table playing cards with Simon and Dave.

"What brother? I don't have a brother," Abby said, dumbfounded. "I thought I told you that."

"Then who the hell is 'George'?"

"George? He's my..." Abby faltered when she saw Mark's face and the suspicion in his eyes. She grinned slightly. "Are you jealous, Mark?"

"If your mother is talking about someone who isn't your brother sleeping in your bed, I'm assuming you had some sort of relationship with him. Now tell me about him."

"Well, George is big; kind of bulky, with long blonde hair and deep brown eyes. He looks the complete opposite of you actually," Abby said dreamily.

"How long have you known him?" Abby noticed Mark's upper lip twitch, and smiled even wider.

"Since I was fourteen. We used to do everything together; we would go to the beach, to the park...of course we would have to walk because I didn't have a car. I feel kind of bad that I forgot about him when I came here. I really do miss him," Abby said sincerely.

"Well, what the fuck are you doing with me, then, if you miss him so much?" Mark's temper and his voice became louder than he meant it to be but to his surprise, Abby began laughing. In fact, she started laughing so hard that everyone turned their heads to see what was going on. She waved her hand in front of her face and they looked away slowly. "What is so damn hilarious to you?"

"Oh my god, I can't! This is too much. Mark, you don't have to be jealous of George!" Abby spoke between gasps and wiped the tears from her eyes after a loud sigh.

"Why the fuck not?"

"Because he's a golden retriever. You're jealous of my dog!"Abby began giggling again and Mark sat in shock.

"A dog? You got me all fired up because of a _dog_?"

"Sorry," she said as her laughter died down. She got up to stand in front of him, tilting her head as she expressed her apology and setting a hand on his shoulder gently. "I didn't mean to make you this angry. It's just...well, how many girls can say that Midnight Mark got jealous over them?" She smiled as Mark visibly began to relax.

"Last I checked, none. I don't know what it is about you, but you've had a hold on me since the minute we met," he confessed. He suddenly smiled a roguish smile and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her onto his lap. She let out a surprised shriek at his sudden action and he nestled is face into the curve of her shoulder. "I've told you I love you, right?"

"Only about an hour ago," Abby teased. Her eyes grew soft and full of tenderness as she stroked his hair. "Who would've thought that with all the guys in the world, I would fall in love with a womanizing, sex-crazed, gorgeous man like you?"

"And who would've thought that out of all the girls I could have my pick from, _I_ would fall in love with a stubborn, free-spirited, amazing girl like _you_?"

"I did!" Felicity shouted from the dance floor.

"Thank you, Felicity!" Abby shouted back. She looked back at Mark and rolled her eyes. "I just wish she would've told me sooner, so we wouldn't have wasted so much time fighting."

"Oh no, love." Mark smiled as he took Abby's hand in his own. "Getting here was half the fun."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Much thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and enjoyed!


	9. The Adventure of a Lifetime

**AU:** Hey everybody! I didn't feel like Mark and Abby's story should have ended so soon, so I wrote a sort-of epilogue. I hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

><p><em>December 1969.<em>

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"Mark, this type of thing happens every day, all around the world. I'll be just fine," Abby said as she walked (more like waddled) to their now shared room. She grimaced as a wave of pain washed over her, and breathed heavily. It lasted for just a few short moments, but it was more painful than listening to Kevin sing. When it was over, she ran her hands over the swell of her stomach affectionately. "Wow. This little one really wants to get out of there."

"But you're sure you don't want me to be in there with you?" Mark asked worriedly. He'd been on edge for the past two months. Actually, he'd been on edge since he found out Abby was pregnant. And now that delivery day had finally come, he wondered where the last year had gone.

Abby was two months along when she told him the news. She had expected him to turn pale and make a run for it, but he immediately took her in his arms and swung her about (which, in hindsight, was a bad idea because of Abby's morning sickness) and told her how happy he was.

"I'm sure. Besides, Felicity will be in there with me. I won't be alone." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.

He sighed as he placed his hands on her belly. "I still can't believe that I'm going to be a father. I never thought it would happen to me. I mean, I'm not exactly the 'dad' type, given my reputation."

"You'll make an amazing father. And screw your reputation! You deserve to be happy." She gripped his shoulders as a contraction overcame her once again. He winced at the pain in his shoulders, but it was nothing compared to the anguish he felt as he helplessly watched Abby grit her teeth and pinch her eyes shut, waiting for the pain to pass.

"I'm sorry I did this to you," Mark took her hand in his and squeezed it, trying to be comforting. "And I'm sorry I couldn't be someone else. The father of your baby should be someone mature and with a steady job, ready to take you home to a big, warm house when all of this is over. _And_ you should be giving birth in a hospital, instead of a doctor having to come here..."

"Mark, I swear to God, if I hear you complain one more time, I will toss you overboard into the freezing cold ocean and leave you out there until the baby is born. I have too much to worry about right now than to keep reassuring you that this is what I want. _You_ are what I want." She tapped him lightly on the cheek. "Now shut up and remember that I. Love. You."

Mark couldn't help but chuckle at her. She was about to give birth, she could barely move without being in pain and she was still ordering him around. That was his Abby. He walked her to the bed and helped her down carefully.

"I'll just be in the dining room," he assured her. She smiled at him and brought his hand to her face and kissed the silver ring that newly adorned his left hand.

"Sure thing, hubby."

That's another thing that happened. As soon as they had told everyone that they were having a baby, Abby and Mark were greeted with congratulations and good wishes from all around. The Count, however, sat silently in a corner with what seemed like a scowl on his face.

_"Do you have something you'd like to say?" Quentin asked the Count as the rest of the group stood in silence, waiting for what would happen next. The Count stood and walked to the window, still not saying a word._

_"Dad?" Abby's voice pleaded. He turned to her with tears in his eyes and a small smile tugging at his mouth._

_"My baby is having a baby." He opened his arms and Abby ran into his embrace, laughing. When he let her go, he turned to Mark. "You know you've gotta marry her now, right?" _

_"Dad!" Abby scolded._

_"No daughter of mine is having a baby without getting hitched. When your mom told me she was pregnant, I did the right thing." He moved to stand in front of Mark, who had stood watching everything from behind his dark sunglasses. "What about you? Are you gonna make an honest woman of my daughter?"_

_Mark smiled and took off his sunglasses. "If I have your permission, I'd like to ask her right now."_

_Count's mouth dropped open. "You would?"_

_"He would?" Angus parroted. He anxiously looked to the surprised faces of the other deejays._

_"I was going to ask her eventually." He walked to Abby and removed his favourite ring from his hand._

_"Holy hell, he's really gonna do it!" Simon squealed. Mark laughed over his shoulder before turning his full attention on Abby._

_"I'm not going to kneel, because that would be too corny. And I'm not going to tell you how beautiful you are, because I tell you that all the time. What I _will_ tell you is how much I love you and I will never stop loving you until the day I die from God-knows-what. I still can't believe I'm saying this, but there's nothing in this world that would make me happier than knowing that you're there beside me forever. And hopefully you won't mind having a few more babies, because the thought of us being a family is nearly making my heart explode with love for you." He held the ring between their faces and smiled as he looked deep into Abby's eyes. "So?"_

_Abby gaped at him, her mouth hanging open. When she finally spoke, a whisper came out so low, only Mark could hear her. _

_"I don't know whether to hit you and make you propose properly, or have sex with you right here in front of everybody." Mark smiled at her as he took her left hand and placed the ring on her ring finger._

_"I'll take that as a 'yes' then?"_

_"You bet your ass it's a 'yes'!" Abby shouted and threw her arms around his neck and nearly cut off his breathing while he swung her around for the second time that day. Cheers came from behind them as Felicity appeared with a tray of champagne glasses filled with beer and one filled with ginger ale for Abby._

_"It's the best I could do on short notice," she said as she swerved in between the men. They drank and laughed until dawn came, celebrating the fact that Midnight Mark had finally been caught._

Two weeks later Mark and Abby were married.

It was a small ceremony; Rita and Ted managed to make it, along with Simon's fiancée (he had been seeing the woman who rescued him when the boat sank and finally gathered the courage to ask her) and Margaret. Felicity was the maid of honour, and Marianne was delighted to be a bridesmaid, while Mark had chosen Carl to be a groomsman and Gavin as the best man. Quentin performed the ceremony, as he did with Simon and Elenore, but seemed to be more serious this time, probably because there was no radio audience to play up to. Since then, Abby and Mark's lives had been nothing but bliss.

Mark made his way shakily to the dining room, where the other men were gathered. He had never seen them so tense; it was as if _they_ were the ones expecting their baby to be born. Even Quentin sat at the table, a glass of brandy in his hand and smoking a pipe absently. Dave walked up to Mark and held out a bottle of whiskey.

"You look like you need this, mate." Mark hesitated before hearing a faint shout echoing through the boat. He cringed and took the whole bottle.

"Thanks." The Count went to him and put his arms around his shoulders in sympathy.

"Abby's a tough girl, don't worry. If she's anything like her mom, she'll be fine. I remember the day Abby was born; I never felt so useless in my entire life. That's gotta be the worst part. You know that the reason why she's in pain is because of you, but there's not a damn thing you can do about it." He took the bottle from Mark's hands and gulped some whiskey down to calm his nerves. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and smiled. "But I'll tell ya, it's all worth it in the end."

The next eight hours were complete agony for Mark. Dead silence hung in the room, except for the occasional "Oh, god!" that resonated from the other side of the boat. He thought that he would pass out before the whole thing was finally over.

He hadn't realized how still he had been sitting until the door burst open with a bang and Felicity danced into the room.

"Congratulations, Daddy!" she shouted happily as she stood in front of him. Mark shot up so fast that his head spun a little and he had difficulty keeping his balance.

"Abby? How is she?"

"She's just fine. Tired, obviously, but I don't think I've seen her smile so much." Felicity hummed happily as Mark made a dash for the door, but he stopped when he realized he forgot to ask her something else.

"The baby?"

"Also fine. No worries at all. She's a gorgeous little girl, Mark."

"A girl," he breathed as he swayed on his feet turning to hug Felicity and then the Count. "A baby girl!"

"Go! Go see her!" Count yelled. "And give my daughter a kiss for me!"

Mark's steps slowed as he neared the bedroom and he stopped just as he was about to open the door. A million thoughts raced through his mind all at once, and he couldn't find the will to move from his spot.

_I'm a father._

I'm_ a father?_

_There's a baby in there. With half of my DNA._

_I'm a married man, with a daughter._

_Christ, what's happened?_

He was still trying to get his thoughts in check when a baby's wail silenced everything. It shook him out of his trance and he grasped the handle and opened the door, but the way inside was blocked by Dr Maddox.

"Ah, Mark, my lad. Congratulations!" The stout, grey-haired man adjusted his tie and looked behind him. "She's fallen asleep, the poor thing. No one said having a baby was easy, but she pulled through. Make sure she gets as much rest as possible for the next three days or so." He looked behind him once more. "They're the loveliest pair I've ever seen." With a quick nod, he ushered Mark inside and closed the door behind him when he left.

The room was eerily quiet, with the only sound being Abby's soft breathing. As he inched closer to the bed, he saw Abby, still with the glow of sweat covering her, sleeping soundly. The baby was in the small bassinet he had ordered for her; a large white one made entirely of wicker and covered generously with white ribbons and gigantic white bows. Abby hated the garish thing, but they had no time to order another one. He peered into the bassinet and saw a tiny face staring straight back up at him.

Mark was sure his heart stopped beating.

The baby, his _daughter_, looked up at him with large blue eyes and puckered her lips. Her head was covered in dark fuzz and her face was pink. Her arms had escaped from the blanket she was swaddled in and she waved her arms about in the air while he examined her tiny hands and fingers, taking in the details of her delicate little fingernails. She squealed at him, and he found himself reaching into the bassinet and holding her so she was level with his own face. He stared at her for a moment longer before cradling her against his chest, where she nuzzled her face against him, trying to get comfortable until she let out a yawn and starting drifting off to sleep.

Mark couldn't take his eyes off of her; every movement and every sound she made vibrated through his entire body, reminding him that he was holding his flesh and blood in his arms. He and Abby had created the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his entire life.

"My little darling," he whispered to her, running a finger gently down her soft pink cheek, "I've never loved anything as much as I love you right now." He moved to her tiny hand and traced her tiny fingers, until she gripped his finger and held it. Mark inhaled shakily, afraid to give way to the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes at any moment.

"Does she look like you or me?"

Mark turned his head at Abby's soft voice and saw her smiling at him sleepily. He moved to sit beside her against the pillows, clutching their daughter to him tightly. He kissed her forehead lovingly before turning his attention back to the baby.

"She looks like you, I think."

"She's got your eyes though...and your nose." Abby laughed softly as the baby squirmed and settled deeper into Mark's chest. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"You're beautiful," he said as he kissed her upturned face. "Thank you for this wonderful gift."

"You had some part in it too, so thank _you_." She snuggled into his shoulder and stared at the baby. "She needs a name. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, your dad had said that he wanted our first born to be named after him, so...I guess I get to finally learn the Count's real name."

"There's no way I'm naming our daughter Antonia."

Mark smirked. "Your dad's name is Anthony?"

"Don't tell him I told you." Abby's eyebrows came together in thought. "How about Elizabeth? After your mother?"

Mark smiled warmly into Abby's eyes at her suggestion. "Have I told you I love you yet?" He leaned his head to hers so they could share a kiss before nuzzling his nose against his daughter's, smiling when she rubbed her face in irritation. "Our little Lizzie. Maybe we can name the next one after the Count."

Abby sat up and gave him a quizzical look. "Just how many are you expecting?"

"A whole lot; and they'll have the best babysitters the world could ask for." He paused before adding, "We'll have to make sure Kevin isn't one of them."

Abby sighed and dramatically pressed her hand against her forehead. "Can I have a bit of a break before we give Lizzie a brother or sister?"

"Of course, love." He kissed her forehead and placed Lizzie in between them. Abby took Mark's hand in hers and placed it on top of their daughter.

"Welcome to our family, Lizzie. You're in for the adventure of a lifetime."


End file.
